Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-02-12
THE BORDER WAR.
Detail. q, in. Threatened Tragedy.


 say that on the border about two months ago, there sss likely c. have been more truth than poetry in tie words "B'sdsr War" For the benefit of your Tcadefs and 10 correct some little irregularities that appears to have crept into tbe above headed article l will endeayor to give cleor deception of tie affair, being my self enc of the participants.
 George J. Roskruge (not Colonel, sI- though Roskruge served Her Britannlc Majesty for len years Gs private, cor porGl and sergeant and therefore might rank with some or our colOnels) Tn car rying out a contract with the United States government had occasion to close the lines of township on tbe boundary line between Arizona and Sonora. We had set the closing corner on the town ship line where ve ate our lunch, tor ss Bill Skinner said, Boys, We ore liable to be scoopsd ct any moment. and you had better lay in 8 square meal, for 1T we are taken to Altar fourteen cents a day won't iatten us up much" From tbis point we ran to corner about one fourth of e mile from what sppearet to be a fir5t-class ranch house, with flag pole, but no flag flying. As soon ss We were seen a man was observed issuing from the house. buckling on his revolver as he approached us, Roskruge went towards him leaving us at the corner, and the following IS what tha boss told
 when he came into camp that night. lie said: Well, when the man with the revolver looked at me and pointed hls thumb over his left shoulder at the custom house. l understood hIm to say in plain English, although he did not gay anything. Young man you are want ed" and I went you bet.
 The fellow WAS about SIX feat SIX inches tall, SO l went along quite nim- ply. When l got to the house l was ushered into the presence of two gentle men who bowed very politely and h. Tited me to sit down. and informed me that an interpreter would bs there ID n minutes. Tnls gave me time Co look | around and l saw l was ID Mexican custom house and visions of how l
  | three or four months in the Altar Jail at | fourteen cents a day for grub came rush | ing to my mind, but l was not long left to ponder and solliquize on such visions of luscious living for the interpreter came and the psntOnine commenced What are you doing here, sir?' was the first shot fred at me | informed him
 that I vas 8 U. $. Deputy SurYeyer, sur
 veying U. s. lands. He immediatlJ looked terribly indignant and informed me that was Gt least three miles inside Mexican territory. l told him [ knew exactly where was and thag the bOun- diary line was three-fOurths Oi a mile south of the custom house. At this he got very indignant and rushed into sn- other office and pointed Co on old map ot Mexico hanging on the wall and seemed to think that when I saw that nap it would settle the matter.
 told hun the map would not help the matter any and took out my data which consisted of extracts and sketches from report of boundary commission, data from |. s. land office, etc, but ii was of no avail as he appeared to think that was very stupid because | could not see by his map that 1 was three miles in Mexico. The map Was an cli one aud made | think, by a man Oi the name of COrtes. IL was too old Co alier my view of things anyway. I then offered to call my men and bring my trsnsi- and show Inc officers the boundary mountains which could easily he seen from the house though the telescope; "nO sir" was all the answer I got. Then I asked for pass or that they send some ot theIr guards with me aud I akA ha old answer "no sir and then to end up be demanded of me why 1 had not come to the Custom House sooner and how I dared Go cone into their country with mules and wagons and instruments aOd ignore them, the representatives of the great Mexican Republic
 Al this point visions of half cooked tOrtillss and frij0les came looming up and I wondered If old Bill Skinner. and Bronco Steve and the rest Of the crowd would be confiscbted along vlrE 1 myself and the mules and instruments ! l asked him where the fisz was ss there | was none flying on the pole At thl5 she | interpreter again flew CT the hand e | aud made fool of himself. 1 then de ! sired thst a man be sent tO show ne l the monument on the Sierra Verde | mountains about two miles from the | POsO Verde yiilage-nOt that 1 wanted a 1 guide to show me the monument, Cs I l had been there that morning, but want l ed to get out of that Custom Houss.-I The upshot of 1t WAS that Papago was 1 10 go to show me the boundary mCnu- | ment and I was to pay him SlOO0 snd | after some consultation l was told | might go, Before leaving I asked for l permission to call ou them again, which | they graciOusly granted. l thought I'd | call on you again my boys ana dons | you forget it. We were greatly relieved | when the boss came out all safe and | sound snd intimated to US that the soon CT We got back sO our own c.mp, which | vas near the ranch of Pedro Aguirre. ths surer we could bet on hsvIng a square | meal that night.
 We had been detained at leas; ? hours and although there were IT ! of us. we beng unsrmed could dO uoihing t0 help out the boss, but We were perfectly satisfied that fl The war consisted of talking only. that our man could beat A whole company Of Mexican custom gusris. We got back 10 camp safely and that evening the PapBgo guide came in and on pumping him, we found that the interpreter vas Ortiz the owner of the ranch. that the Custom House was rented of him and that the PspRgo vas instructed by Ortiz to take Roskruce to CobIls, 70 miles distant to, as the Pspayo rad, "chest him" for whIch service h. was so receive 70 ceDts. This amount Roskruge paid him, gave him supper and breakfast and sent him home and as You say m your article, cheated Ortiz out ot 1925.
 The next morning F. went to see Pedro Agulrre, and with him went again tO the Custom House where they were received very civilN and found that Mr. Ortiz had been running things the day | before to suit himself. or hls m,sin- I may give one instance: The custom offers told Ortiz to offer R. n a passport. Ot thIs. Ortiz never men tOned a word and when K. said, Ask the officers Co give me pass so that I ! can take my animals along the line" he